AI

Performing Arts Union Threatens Mass Direct Action Over AI Content Created From Actors’ Images

/in , /by

Equity, the performing arts union, is now threatening to take mass direct action over tech and entertainment companies that are using their members’ likeness, images, and voices to train and create AI content without permission. 

The union stated that they issued the warning after an increasing number of Equity members made complaints over misuse of their personal data in AI material and infringements of their copyright. 

Embed from Getty Images

Paul W Felming, the union’s general secretary, stated that they’re planning to coordinate mass data requests to the companies so they’re forced to disclose information regarding if they used members’ data in AI-generated material without consent. 

The union confirmed they were supporting a Scottish actor that believes her image is being used to create the AI “actor” known as Tilly Norwood, a name that’s been highly discussed in film and media in recent weeks. 

The Guardian also reported that the union said Briony Monroe, 28 and from East Renfrewshire, stated she believed her face was used to make Norwood, which was created by the AI “talent studio” Xicoia, which has also denied the claims. 

Beyond image likeness, a majority of the complaints Equity has received is from members that are concerned over AI-generated voice replicas. 

Fleming stated that the union has been successfully helping members make subject access requests to producers and tech companies which haven’t provided detailed information and explanations regarding what specific data they used to create their AI content.

“The companies actually became very willing to start discussing compensation and usage. So the industry needs to be more careful because it’s not going to stop there,” Fleming stated. 

“AI companies need to know that we will be putting in these subject access requests en masse. They have a statutory obligation to respond. If an individual member reasonably believes that their data is being used without their consent, we want to find out.”

“What we’re trying to do is use people’s individual rights to make it so hard for tech companies and producers to not enter into collective rights,” stated Fleming.

The union has around 50,000 members, and Fleming explained that if a significant enough number of them make subject access requests, firms would experience a major “hassle” if they were unwilling to negotiate. 

Data protection laws state that individuals have the right to ask for all information an organization holds against them. Those organizations have around one month to reply to subject access requests. 

“It’s not a silver bullet. It’s not easy to do because they may well have got data from somewhere else. A lot of people are behaving very recklessly and immorally,” Fleming said. 

Embed from Getty Images

Regarding her own personal complaints, Monroe stated that Norwood had copied both her image and mannerisms.

“I move my head quite a lot when I’m acting. I noticed in the last few seconds of Tilly’s show reel, that is exactly what she did. Other people have also said, ‘Those are your mannerisms. That’s how you act,’” she said. 

Liam Bidd is the industrial official for recorded media at Equity UK. Bidd stated that the union is taking Monroe’s concerns seriously, and that AI production company Particle6, which launched Xicoia, confirmed it was working with the union to address these concerns. 

“Briony Monroe’s likeness, image, voice or personal data have not been used in any way to create Tilly Norwood,” a spokesperson for Particle6 said. 

“Tilly was developed entirely from scratch using original creative design. We do not and will not use any performer’s likeness without explicit consent and fair compensation.”

Budd stated: 

“We’ve had increasing numbers of members getting in touch about specific infringements where they believe that their image or voice has been used without their consent to then create an output which can identify them or resemble them in some way.”

It’s been a lot more common in the audio space because the technology is much easier. You don’t need many recordings to create a digital replica of a voice.”

Equity UK has been in negotiations with the UK production trade body Pact about AI, copyright, and data protection. 

“The bosses are not asking questions about where this data has come from. Privately, they will admit that it is impossible to ethically use AI because it has been scraped and trained on data where the provenance is at best unclear.

But nine times out of 10, we know it’s been used completely outside of the existing copyright and data protection framework,” Fleming stated. 

Spain Confirms It Will Boycott Eurovision 2026 If Israel Participates 

/in , /by

Spain has become the latest country to announce that they will not be participating in next year’s Eurovision song contest if Israel participates. The head of Spain’s broadcaster, RTVE, stated that “the genocide currently taking place makes it impossible for us to look the other way.”

Spain is the first of the “big five” Eurovision contestants to make this declaration. The “big five” refers to the nations that contribute the most money to the song contest event; the other four countries are France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy. 

Embed from Getty Images

Slovenia, Ireland, and the Netherlands have also made the choice to not participate should Israel compete. The vote for Spain was held the same day as a UN commission of inquiry concluded that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. 

José Pablo López, president of RTVE, said that the broadcasters that make up the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which runs the contest, should no longer remain silent about the situation occurring in Gaza. 

“As joint organizers of the Eurovision song contest, we share a collective responsibility,” he said. 

“While Israel has regularly participated in the competition, the current events and the genocide currently taking place make it impossible for us to look the other way.”

“It is not accurate to claim that Eurovision is merely an apolitical music festival. We are all aware that the contest carries significant political implications. The Israeli government is equally aware of this fact and leverages the event on the international stage,” he added. 

Israel denied that it’s committing genocide in in Gaza, and its ambassador to the UN, Daniel Meron, said the report made by the UN commission of inquiry was “scandalous and fake,” the Guardian reports.

The EBU opened up a consultation process back in July with the 37 broadcasters who took part in Eurovision last year to discuss and debate Israel’s participation in the 2026 contest. Typically broadcasters have to inform the EBU about their participation by October, however, this year the deadline has been extended to December.  

López stated that RTVE is hoping Spain’s “visible, meaningful stand” would be taken seriously and properly received by other EBU members, and lead to a decision to be made sooner rather than later. 

“Our hope is that a decision can be reached well before December, as the EBU must be aware of the serious damage being done to the Eurovision song contest, which will mark its 70th anniversary in 2026,” he stated. 

“Therefore, we hope this decision will be made earlier and that the EBU won’t be subjected to the stress of a last-minute vote in London in December. We believe that, for the good of the festival and the values ​​it has championed since its inception, this matter must be resolved before the scheduled assembly.”

Embed from Getty Images

Eurovision is one of the biggest television events in the world, garnering over 160 million viewers this year. 2026’s contest will take place in Vienna in May. 

Russia was banned from the contest after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022 while Israel has been able to compete over the past two years despite the multitude of international concerns.

RTV, Slovenia’s public broadcaster, was the first to announce that they wouldn’t participate in Eurovision, followed by RTÉ in Ireland, and then Avrotros in the Netherlands. 

Avrotros stated: 

“The broadcaster also expresses deep concern about the serious erosion of press freedom: the deliberate exclusion of independent international reporting and the many casualties among journalists.”

Iceland’s public service broadcaster, RÚV also said they “reserved the right to withdraw” from Eurovision after claiming they were considering their position in the competition. 

Director of culture and factual content at Finnish public broadcaster, Yle, Johanna Törn-Mangs, said: 

“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is tragic, and we sincerely hope for an end to the suffering as soon as possible. Israel’s participation in Eurovision has been a significant topic of discussion in Finland and we have been consistently informing the EBU about the conversations happening here.”

“The EBU is therefore well aware of the public discussion in Finland. At Yle, we have received – and continue to receive – weekly feedback on this issue, both supporting and opposing Israel’s continued participation in the Eurovision song contest.”

The director of Eurovision, Martin Green, recently spoke about their recognition of the concerns regarding Israel’s participation in the contest. 

“We understand the concerns and deeply held views around the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. We are still consulting with all EBU members to gather views on how we manage participation and geopolitical tensions around the Eurovision song contest … It is up to each member to decide if they want to take part in the contest and we would respect any decision broadcasters make.”

roblox

Roblox Will Extend Age Verifications To Further Prevent Adults Talking To Children

/in , /by

Popular gaming website Roblox is working to limit and prevent adult strangers from talking to children by the end of this year in an effort to remove “bad actors” from the platform. 

Roblox currently has more than 110 million users daily. There’s been multiple child safety concerns brought up, especially within the last year, as experiments showed children as young as five may be able to communicate with adults while they play certain games. 

Embed from Getty Images

The company also announced that it was banning online vigilantes who were trying to catch predators. Last year Roblox also submitted more than 24,000 reports to the US National Center for Missing and Exploited Children which is responsible for handling suspected child sexual exploitation in the US.

On Wednesday, Roblox announced that by the end of 2025 they will start requiring all users who use the text and chat communication tools to go through age checks. If they cannot prove that they’re 18 or older they will have to then prove that they already know the person they want to talk with. 

At the moment, Roblox only requires proof that a user is over 13-years-old in order to communicate with the tools. 

Matt Kaufman, chief safety officer at the games company, said: “We’re making two fundamental changes.”

“By the end of the year, we will require all users who have access to communication on Roblox to go through an age check process or age estimation process.”

“What that process does is it gives us more information about how old the user actually is without relying on their self-reported age at sign up.”

Embed from Getty Images

“That’s important, both for young users, so that we know whether they’re really at the right age to be able to use communication features. And it also helps address bad actors who may try to impersonate younger users. The second thing we’re doing is we’re implementing limits so that younger users cannot talk to adults who they do not know in real life.” 

Roblox has grown in popularity rapidly. Recently they also began allowing movie, TV, and other gaming companies such as Netflix, Lionsgate, and Sega to create games using their intellectual property on Roblox, attracting even more users. 

In spring this year, the Guardian reported research that they deemed “deeply disturbing.” The reports showed how easy it was for children to encounter and interact with inappropriate content and interact with adults unsupervised. 

Within the report one parent stated that they discovered adult strangers had been able to approach their child on the platform and coaxed them into sharing nude images of themselves. 

In a blog post, Roblox stated:

“Our users, creator community, parents, partners, legislators all want the same thing we do: to help keep young people safe while they play, learn, or explore on Roblox.”

“We’re continually innovating on this front – refining and optimising our safety systems, policies and moderation tools,” the post stated.

buzz

Snoop Dogg Sparks Controversy Over Remarks on LGBTQ+ Characters in Children’s Films

/in /by

Snoop Dogg has found himself at the center of a cultural firestorm after voicing discomfort with LGBTQ+ representation in animated films geared toward children.

On the Aug. 20 episode of the “It’s Giving” podcast, the 53-year-old rap legend reflected on taking his young grandson to see Pixar’s “Lightyear,” the 2022 spin-off from the Toy Story franchise. The film features a subplot in which Buzz Lightyear’s close friend, Alisha, marries a woman and starts a family with her.

Snoop described being caught off guard when his grandson, mid-movie, turned to him with a blunt question: “Papa Snoop, how did she have a baby with a woman? She’s a woman.”

The rapper admitted he felt thrown into “the middle of a situation,” telling the hosts that he had gone to watch a kids’ movie and was unprepared to answer those kinds of questions. “I’m scared to go to the movies now,” he said.

He added that while he supports family outings to the theater, moments like this left him unsettled.

“It threw me for a loop. I’m like, ‘What part of the movie was this?’ These are kids. We have to show that at this age? They’re going to ask questions. They’re going to ask. I don’t have the answer.”

“Lightyear” has carried a political charge since its release in June 2022. The brief same-sex kiss and family storyline involving Alisha and her partner triggered outrage in conservative circles, prompting bans in several countries, including the United Arab Emirates.

Embed from Getty Images

The film also placed Disney at the center of a broader battle over LGBTQ+ rights in schools and entertainment. Months before “Lightyear” premiered, then-CEO Bob Chapek came under fire for his initial reluctance to publicly oppose Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law, which restricts classroom discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Facing internal backlash from Disney employees and fans, Chapek eventually reversed course, a move that further enraged conservative critics who later seized on “Lightyear” as evidence of what they called an “agenda.”

At the time, actor Chris Evans, who voices Buzz Lightyear, pushed back against such polarized framing.

“The real truth is those people are idiots. There’s always going to be people who are afraid and unaware and trying to hold on to what was before. But those people die off like dinosaurs. I think the goal is to pay them no mind, march forward, and embrace the growth that makes us human. Every time there’s been social advancement as we wake up, the American story, the human story, is one of constant social awakening and growth, and that’s what makes us good.”

Snoop Dogg’s candid podcast reflections quickly ricocheted across social media, where many accused him of perpetuating homophobia and being the “biggest sellout in hip-hop”.

“I’m so tired… Genuinely so tired of the rampant homophobia nowadays,” one user wrote on X.

Embed from Getty Images

Another user joked, “A homophobe once asked me why it was called a phobia. Wish I could show him this clip of a former gang member scared of a gay cartoon couple.”

Others criticized his reasoning more directly.

“How is answering his grandson’s question even close to the horrors of answering how a man has a baby with a woman?????”

The rapper, known for his laid-back persona and mainstream appeal, now faces renewed scrutiny about how his public statements resonate with younger fans and LGBTQ+ audiences who once viewed him as a cultural bridge between old-school rap and modern pop culture.

This year alone, Snoop has already ignited backlash over a separate issue. In January, he performed at the Inaugural Crypto Ball, an event in Washington celebrating the swearing-in of President Donald Trump. The choice puzzled many fans, given Snoop’s history of criticizing artists who agreed to perform at Trump’s first inauguration in 2017.

The criticism forced him to issue a response of sorts on Instagram, without directly mentioning the controversy.

“For all the hate, I’m gonna answer it with love. Y’all can’t hate enough on me. I love too much. Get your life right. Stop worrying about mine. I’m cool. I’m together. Still a Black man. Still 100% Black.”

The uproar over Snoop Dogg’s podcast comments taps into a broader debate about LGBTQ+ visibility in children’s media. Supporters of inclusive storylines argue that representation helps normalize diverse families and gives queer children and children of queer parents characters they can relate to on screen. Opponents, however, claim such storylines introduce themes they feel are “inappropriate” for young viewers.

The reaction online suggests Snoop Dogg’s words are now being read in a much larger cultural context, one where hip-hop’s most enduring stars are expected to reckon with how their influence shapes conversations about identity, family, and inclusion.

rabbit

Anna Sorokin Says She’s Facing Death Threats After Bunny Abandonment Scandal

/in /by

Anna “Delvey” Sorokin, the convicted scammer who stole tens of thousands of dollars from financial institutions and was once portrayed as a glamorous socialite in Netflix’s Inventing Anna, says she is now the target of hundreds of death threats after being linked to a bizarre rabbit abandonment incident in New York City.

The controversy began earlier this month when Sorokin, 34, posed with three rabbits for a photoshoot in Tribeca, clad in a pale blue dress and strappy heels. The whimsical images went up on Instagram, where Sorokin has more than a million followers.

Days later, the same rabbits were spotted in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, apparently dumped there, sparking outrage among animal advocates and online sleuths who quickly tied the abandoned pets to Sorokin’s shoot.

“I can never do right by these people,” Sorokin told NBC News. “It just seems to me like everything I do is just wrong.”

The discovery of the bunnies, one of whom was named Parker, was first documented by blogger Terry Chao, who said she and others rescued the trio after spotting posts in a neighborhood Facebook group. Chao later wrote on Instagram that the rabbits were “undeniably the same ones” as those in Sorokin’s photos.

From there, the accusations spread quickly. Sorokin said her inbox was flooded with messages so vitriolic that she now considers her account “unusable.” Some commenters told her she should kill herself; one message even suggested her skin should be turned into a rug.

Embed from Getty Images

“It seems like a lot of these people, just because they’re engaged in animal rescue, they feel like they’re entitled to insult you or talk to you or say anything because they’re hiding behind this thing that they’re doing.”

Sorokin insists she never abandoned the animals. She says she arranged the shoot by asking Instagram followers if they had pet rabbits she could borrow. Nineteen-year-old hairstylist Christian Batty responded, claiming access to a friend’s bunnies. Sorokin said she paid Batty for his help, including an Uber ride she believed would take the animals back to their home in Yonkers.

But screenshots of an Uber receipt Sorokin shared suggest the trip ended just south of Prospect Park, which is the very place the rabbits were found.

When confronted, Batty at first denied any wrongdoing, according to text messages Sorokin later published. Photographer Jasper Soloff, who shot the photos, distanced himself through his attorney, who emphasized Soloff had no involvement in securing or transporting the animals.

Eventually, Batty issued a statement on Instagram — later deleted — admitting that he released the rabbits in the park.

“When I realized the rabbits were being surrendered to me, I panicked. At 19, with no experience caring for animals, no pet-friendly housing, and no knowledge of available resources, I felt overwhelmed and made the worst possible choice. Believing, mistakenly, that there were existing rabbits in that area, I released them there, thinking that was my best option.”

Embed from Getty Images

Sorokin, however, was unsympathetic to the age excuse.

“He’s old enough to move to New York and live on his own. He should have enough common sense to handle rabbits. We’re not, like, asking him to do anything that requires high IQ from him.”

The scandal comes at a precarious time for Sorokin, who is still under house arrest in Manhattan. At the same time, she is fighting deportation following her 2019 conviction on charges of grand larceny and theft of services. She is required to wear an ankle monitor and is prohibited from leaving a 75-mile radius around her apartment.

Sorokin says she fears the rabbit incident could hurt her immigration case, insisting she acted in good faith. “This time, I’ve done nothing wrong,” she said. “And I had the best intentions, and it’s really frustrating.”

She has since donated $1,000 to All About Rabbits Rescue and defended the use of leashes during the shoot, pushing back at critics who claimed she endangered the animals. “I’m not a bunny professional,” she admitted. “We would put them down for, I don’t know, a minute or two, take a picture and pick them up. We were not walking them by any means. And they seemed to be happy.”

For Sorokin, who once fooled Manhattan’s elite into believing she was a wealthy heiress, the bunny backlash is the latest reminder of how her every move is scrutinized. What started as a seemingly harmless photoshoot has ballooned into another public scandal, complete with viral outrage, accusations of cruelty, and a fresh wave of notoriety.

cattle

USDA Is Using ‘Marriage Story’ Fight Scene to Terrify Wolves and Protect Cattle

/in /by

In the rugged ranchlands of southern Oregon, the battle between man and beast has taken a strange and cinematic turn.

Faced with rising livestock deaths from prowling gray wolves, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is testing unconventional new methods to scare the predators off,  including flying drones that blast everything from gunfire to the screaming match scene from “Marriage Story.”

Yes, really.

The effort comes after a devastating string of attacks on Prather Ranch, a cattle operation nestled near the California-Oregon border. The ranch’s owners, Jim and Mary Rickert, estimate they’ve lost around 40 calves to hungry wolves in recent months.

“It’s basically like driving through Burger King, easy pickings for them.”

However, managing the threat isn’t as simple as fighting back. Many of the wolves roaming the area are endangered species and protected under state or federal law. The use of lethal force is heavily restricted. That’s where the USDA’s “wolf hazing” initiative comes in — a program built on psychological warfare rather than firepower.

Embed from Getty Images

Led by USDA district supervisor Paul Wolf, the agency has turned to a high-tech and somewhat bizarre solution: drones equipped with floodlights and speakers designed to disorient wolves.

When a drone spots movement near livestock, it swoops in like an airborne scarecrow, unleashing a cacophony of unsettling sounds. These range from fireworks and gunshots to AC/DC’s Thunderstruck and the emotionally charged fight scene between Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson in “Marriage Story.”

It’s all about creating negative associations, said Wolf, who has been piloting the USDA’s drone deterrence program since 2022.

“I need the wolves to respond and know that, hey, humans are bad.”

The approach, while unusual, appears to be working, at least in the short term. In Oregon’s Klamath Basin, where the program is active, a string of wolf attacks left 11 cows dead in just 20 days. After implementing the drones, only two cattle were killed over the next 85 days.

Still, the tactic comes with its own set of challenges. The drones used in these operations can cost thousands of dollars, with some costing as much as $20,000 apiece, and aren’t exactly built for combat. One drone met an untimely end when it crashed into a tree mid-chase, damaging an expensive thermal camera.

Embed from Getty Images

Battery life is another limiting factor, with some drones barely able to stay airborne for more than 20 minutes at a time. That leaves narrow windows for scaring off predators and no margin for error.

On a recent night ride-along with The Wall Street Journal, Wolf and his team took to the skies to protect cattle under threat. As wolves crept toward the herd, the crew took aim — not with rifles, but playlists. One drone blasted Five Finger Death Punch’s “Blue on Black.”

According to Wolf, the crew likely saved a calf that night. But even with this high-tech audio arsenal, some remain skeptical. “I’m kinda betting on the wolves, truth be known,” said Jim Rickert, only half-joking.

The fear is that the wolves — clever, social, and notoriously adaptive — might eventually tune out the noise. Just as city pigeons become indifferent to the honking of horns, predators could learn that the music and lights pose no real threat.

For now, the drones remain a kind of surreal stand-in for cowhands, screaming across the night sky in a desperate attempt to protect livestock without breaking the law.

ae

American Eagle’s Sydney Sweeney Campaign Sparks Backlash Over “Great Genes” Wordplay

/in /by

A new fall advertising campaign from American Eagle starring actress Sydney Sweeney has ignited a fiery wave of online criticism, with accusations that the brand is subtly promoting white supremacist ideas under the guise of wordplay.

The campaign’s slogan, “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” is a cheeky twist on “great genes,” nodding to both denim and DNA. In a widely circulated Instagram video from the brand, Sweeney stands in front of a poster emblazoned with the phrase “Sydney Sweeney has great genes.” As the video progresses, the word “genes” is scribbled out and replaced with “jeans.” The clip has already racked up over a million views on the platform.

In another promotional video, Sweeney leans into the pun further, narrating, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color.” The camera then pans up to her face as she finishes the line. “My jeans are blue.”

That line, paired with Sweeney’s blue eyes, blonde hair, and all-American image,  immediately drew the ire of some viewers on platforms like TikTok, X, and Threads. Critics accused the brand of pushing a eugenicist aesthetic and glorifying white genetic traits, with terms like “Nazi propaganda” and “white supremacy” appearing in many of the most viral commentary posts.

While the ad never references race, Hillary Herskowitz, CEO and Founder of H2 Marketing Group, told TODAY.com there is “no denying” that the phrase “carries historical baggage.”

“When you pair that kind of wordplay with a blond, blue-eyed actress, it can unintentionally reinforce narrow, Eurocentric beauty standards.”

Embed from Getty Images

Neither American Eagle nor Sydney Sweeney has publicly addressed the backlash as of Tuesday morning. A representative for Sweeney declined to comment, and the retailer has not responded to media inquiries.

The campaign, announced last week, introduces a limited-edition fall collection co-designed with Sweeney, featuring a denim jacket and “The Sydney Jean,” which showcases a butterfly motif.

According to American Eagle, proceeds from the sales will go to Crisis Text Line, a nonprofit that provides 24/7 mental health support. The butterfly symbol was reportedly chosen to raise awareness for domestic violence, a detail that has largely been overshadowed by the controversy.

“In partnership with the brand, Sweeney’s long-time stylist Molly Dickson dresses her in AE denim essentials, reimagined to create the perfect blend of relatability and undeniable influence. The curated denim wardrobe feels distinctly Sydney – effortless, personal and true to how she wears AE,” American Eagle wrote in a press release.

“Sweeney’s girl-next-door charm and main character energy — paired with her ability to not take herself too seriously — is the hallmark of this bold, playful campaign.”.

While some have condemned the campaign’s messaging as racially insensitive and regressive, others have rushed to defend it or even celebrate it. Several conservative commentators have praised the ad as a “refreshing” departure from the wave of inclusive and diverse marketing campaigns that have come to define major brands in recent years.

The backlash to the backlash has turned the campaign into something of a cultural litmus test, with some critics being labeled as overly sensitive or “chronically online.” Herskowitz believes the campaign was meant to provoke a reaction.

Embed from Getty Images

“[It was] intentional. That line — ‘good jeans’ — is too perfectly constructed not to be. It was designed to be cheeky, playful and buzzworthy. The creative team knew exactly what they were doing.”

This ideological divide over “wokeness” reflects a broader shift in the cultural landscape. In the post-2020 marketing world, where brands have often leaned into progressive values and inclusivity, there is a growing appetite on the right for media that centers white, traditionally attractive figures without explanation or apology.

The popularity of aesthetics like “old money,” the romanticization of the tradwife lifestyle, and a backlash to body positivity all reflect this shift, and Sweeney’s campaign appears to be caught in the crossfire.

The campaign had an immediate impact on American Eagle’s stock, which briefly rose following the announcement of the collaboration. However, in the days since, the company has posted more than a dozen Sweeney-focused pieces of content on social media, followed on Sunday by a noticeable shift.

In its latest Instagram post, American Eagle showcased a new model wearing a denim-on-denim look. Unlike the earlier clips, Sweeney was nowhere to be seen. The caption read: “Denim on denim on denim… on denim. AE has great jeans.”

Some users interpreted the post, which featured a model who appeared to be a person of color, as a subtle attempt at “damage control,” a phrase repeated throughout the comments. “Throwing in a little color for some razzle dazzle,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “Does she have great jeans, or is it only your blue-eyed customers?”

“Are we selling jeans to women or selling women in jeans to men?” another commenter wrote, referencing how the ad sexualized Sweeny. Earlier this year, Sweeny made headlines for selling a men’s soap infused with her own bathwater.

Whether this is a fleeting controversy or a lasting brand moment remains to be seen. What’s clear is that a pun intended to sell jeans has sparked a much deeper conversation.

concert

Music Industry Figures Accuse BBC Of ‘Arbitrary And Disproportionate’ Changes Following Bob Vylan Glastonbury Set 

/in , /by

Major figures in the music industry are accusing the BBC of making “arbitrary and disproportionate” changes to how it covers live music after the controversy regarding Bob Vylan’s recent Glastonbury festival performance. 

Following this year’s Glastonbury festival, the BBC found itself under a heap of pressure from the government for live streaming Bob Vylan’s set in which they led chants of “death, death to the IDF,” in reference to the Israel Defense Forces and the conflict in Palestine. 

Embed from Getty Images

The concern from the industry relates to artists being worried that the BBC can simply cut any musical performance that they deem to be high risk. 

The performance itself wasn’t shown on television, but was instead available via on-demand livestream on iPlayer where it was available for five hours. Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, and Samir Shah, the chair, have apologized and stated that disciplinary action will be expected to occur. 

Many insiders to the music industry are claiming that the BBC is overreacting, and Glastonbury coverage has been running for years without any serious incidents. The biggest concern from artists, however, is concerns over free speech. 

Head of the Featured Artists Coalition (FAC), which is the UK body representing musical artists, David Martin, stated that the network should rethink their decisions. 

“The BBC is absolutely fundamental to the continued success of British music, and particularly vital to supporting our new and emerging artists’ development,” he said.

“The FAC wholeheartedly supports the network’s remit for public service broadcasting, something which is encapsulated by their Glastonbury coverage. That remit also comes with responsibilities. The BBC is rightly held to the highest regulatory, legal and editorial standards. If those standards have been breached, then there should be appropriate guidelines to follow.”

“But the idea of preemptively grading artists according to their ’risk’ factor feels arbitrary and disproportionate – and a dangerous step towards censorship. That kind of approach could potentially curtail artistic freedom around certain genres and inadvertently punish those who are simply expressing their views. It’s a road I think we should resist going down.

Embed from Getty Images

“Live music is incredibly important to the UK. It provides entertainment and cultural capital. But it’s also an art form, and our performers should be free to challenge, provoke and take risks.”

According to the Guardian, A BBC spokesperson said: 

“We will continue to bring audiences a range of music performances, both live and on-demand, and we respect artists’ freedom of expression. However, Bob Vylan’s offensive and deplorable behaviour on one of our Glastonbury live streams was completely unacceptable and we are sorry it appeared on the BBC.

“This is why we have made immediate changes to livestreaming music events, and these alongside our editorial guidelines will shape our plans going forward.”

The general secretary of the Musicians’ Union, Naomi Pohl, stated that she’s concerned over the BBC’s decision to be more cautious and hesitant about what music performances they decide to broadcast. 

“We really don’t want to see the BBC broadcasting fewer live events,” she said.

 “It’s such a shame there has been this shadow cast over this year’s Glastonbury coverage, because it has had fantastic viewing figures. It’s been all over iPlayer and people have been tuning in live.

“We need to talk to the BBC about it directly. But I don’t want to see any broadcasters now broadcasting fewer live events because they don’t want to take the risk. The whole of the music industry will be feeling that, because it’s so crucial to us to have the BBC,” she said.

jane austen

New Jane Austen Exhibit Opens in NYC Featuring Rare Letters and First Editions

/in /by

More than two centuries after her death, Jane Austen remains one of the most beloved and studied writers in the English literary canon —a remarkable feat for a woman who once published her novels anonymously. Now, The Morgan Library & Museum in New York City is honoring her extraordinary legacy with a sweeping exhibition, “A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250,” which offers visitors a rare opportunity to step inside Austen’s world.

Open through September 14, 2025, the exhibit marks the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birthday. It assembles an extraordinary collection of first-edition novels, personal correspondence, family artifacts, and historical documents—many of which are on loan from Jane Austen’s House in Chawton, England, where she spent her most productive years as a writer.

“Our aim in the show is to welcome every visitor—regardless of their prior knowledge of Jane Austen, level of interest in Jane Austen, possible prejudices against Jane Austen,” Juliette Wells, co-curator of the exhibition and Professor of Literary Studies at Goucher College, stated during a preview event.

“If you were marched through Pride and Prejudice in 10th grade and that was not the right time in your life, you are retaining an idea of Jane Austen that does not serve you.”

Embed from Getty Images

The exhibition takes a chronological approach, beginning with Austen’s formative years in a household unusually rich with books. Her father, Reverend George Austen, maintained a personal library of roughly 500 volumes, an impressive collection for the late 18th century, and encouraged his daughters to read freely. This early exposure to literature, combined with the lively conversations that filled the Austen household, helped cultivate Jane’s sharp wit and keen eye for human nature.

But Austen’s early adulthood was not without hardship. After her father’s death in 1805, Jane, her sister Cassandra, and their mother faced financial uncertainty, frequently moving and relying on modest means. These struggles are documented in the many letters Austen exchanged with Cassandra, which form one of the most intimate and poignant elements of the exhibition. Seeing Austen’s elegant handwriting and candid reflections brings a deeply personal dimension to her life story.

Despite these challenges, Austen eventually secured modest professional success. Between 1811 and 1816, she published “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Mansfield Park,” and “Emma”—novels that would define her as one of the sharpest social observers of her time. Yet throughout her lifetime, her identity as an author was known only to a small circle of family and friends. Even her gravestone in Winchester Cathedral makes no mention of her literary achievements, focusing instead on her personal virtues.

The decision to publish anonymously—her books were simply credited as “By a Lady”—has long intrigued scholars. Her early letters suggest that she was interested in achieving literary success, but she seemed equally intent on maintaining personal privacy. It’s as if she wanted her novels to find an audience, but she didn’t want strangers recognizing her in the street.

Embed from Getty Images

Dale Stinchcomb, Drue Heinz Curator of Literary and Historical Manuscripts at The Morgan, added that Austen’s anonymity was partly a reflection of the time.

“A Lively Mind’ examines how it was possible for Austen to publish her now-beloved novels when women generally were not permitted to become writers, much less encouraged to be.”

Still, Austen’s work traveled far beyond England. Even during her lifetime, American readers were discovering her novels, and her popularity continued to grow after her death in 1817. In many ways, American audiences played a crucial role in elevating Austen from a modestly successful novelist to an enduring literary icon. Today, her stories resonate across generations and cultures, inspiring countless adaptations, retellings, and academic studies.

The exhibition also acknowledges Austen’s expanding global fandom. One of its final displays features Amy Sherald’s painting “A Single Man in Possession of a Good Fortune,” a contemporary nod to the famous opening line of “Pride and Prejudice.” Sherald, best known for her official portrait of former First Lady Michelle Obama, offers a modern interpretation of Austen’s ongoing cultural relevance. Visitors who want to see more of Sherald’s work can also visit her full exhibit, currently on display at The Whitney Museum.

From early manuscript drafts to cultural reimagining, “A Lively Mind” captures both the intimacy of Jane Austen’s private world and the vast reach of her influence. More than 200 years later, Austen continues to prove that her sharp observations on love, class, and human folly remain as fresh and resonant as ever.

ai voiceovers

Writers And Voice Actors Respond To Audible’s New Plan To Use AI For Book Narrations 

/in , /by

Audible recently announced that they will be using artificial intelligence (AI) to narrate audiobooks and translate works as well. Many writers, voice actors, and translators have responded to this new phase of audiobook listening, and aren’t happy with the decision to have technology take away jobs from hardworking individuals.

Audible, owned by Amazon, said that it will be using its AI production technology with certain publishers through “select partnerships,” according to reports. 

Embed from Getty Images

“We are bringing new audiobooks to life through our own fully integrated, end-to-end AI production technology,” Audible published on their website.

Audible will be providing managed production where publishers have the choice to produce their own audiobooks with their AI technology.

Publishers can choose from over 100 AI-generated voices in English, Spanish, French, and Italian to narrate their books. The first audiobooks using this technology through Audible will likely be available later in the year. 

“Audible believes that AI represents a momentous opportunity to expand the availability of audiobooks with the vision of offering customers every book in every language, alongside our continued investments in premium original content,” said Bob Carrigan, the chief executive of Audible.

“We’ll be able to bring more stories to life – helping creators reach new audiences while ensuring listeners worldwide can access extraordinary books that might otherwise never reach their ears.”

Writers, translators, and voice actors have responded to this advancement with disappointment, stating that using AI to voice a book takes away the sincerity and beauty of storytelling. 

“This shortsighted scheme reduces what we love about storytelling to the simple delivery of code. In an age of declining literacy, I can’t think of anything more likely to put people off listening to audiobooks altogether,” said Chocolat author Joanne Harris. 

“[Human narrators] actively sell audio content by being good at their jobs,” said Kristen Atherton, who narrated over 400 audiobooks on Audible. 

Embed from Getty Images

“The art – and it is an art – of a good audiobook is the crack in the voice at a moment of unexpected emotion, the wryness of good comedy timing, or the disbelief a listener feels when one person can convincingly be a whole cast of characters,” she said. 

“No matter how ‘human’ an AI voice sounds, it’s those little intricacies that turn a good book into an excellent one. AI can’t replicate that.”

Stephen Briggs, who voices audiobooks said: “The use of AI to replace human creativity is in itself a dangerous path. 

Actor and audiobook narrator Deepti Gupta said: “We need to create more, not less, space for Bipoc narrators, and these AI tools are a new way to marginalize and colonize the voices that need to be heard.”

“Time after time, generative AI has been shown to produce lowest-common-denominator results, while human translators, while fallible, use their personalities and the serendipity of the human mind to produce unique solutions to linguistic and literary problems, thereby creating art,” Nichola Smalley, who translates Swedish and Norwegian literature into English, said.

Literary translator Frank Wynne said: “No one pretends to use AI for translation, audiobooks, or even writing books because they are better; the only excuse is that they are cheaper. Which is only true if you ignore the vast processing power even the simplest AI request requires.”

“In the search for a cheap simulacra to an actual human, we are prepared to burn down the planet and call it progress,” he stated.